Hebridean Bliss

Tuesday May 21

If blue sky with enough multi layer clouds to add dimension to the scene, all shades of blue sea, gleaming white sand beaches, rocky shores and machair flower meadows are bliss. This was it. For a birder on the Outer Hebrides, a north westerly wind and an inshore passage of Skuas, especially Long-tailed would be the absolute Nirvana.

We have a favourite high point stopping place before leaving North Uist from which the islands of Pabay (left) and Boreray can be seen. To-day the view was shades of blue.

 We have loved the island of Berneray since our first visit in the rain, three years ago. To-day's conditions saw it at its best. Connected to North Uist by a 900m long causeway, opened by Prince Charles in 1999, it remains part of the parish of Harris. 

The Sound of Harris Ferry is moored on the right

The island has one road which follows the eastern coast, a spur of which goes north west to Borgh. The latter is where we started. The Griffins had visited this area last week and had seen Little Terns. We drove our way on a winding lane through extensive machair, small groups of Dunlin and Ringed Plovers scurrying away. 

Dunlin

Guess who we found at an early parking place? Sue and Ian. Having exchanged news, we drove on to a high point looking across to an uninhabited part of the island. A small cemetery kept us company. Plus the inevitable Motorhomes.

On our return journey, we saw a Twite sitting on the fence. Obligingly, it stayed whilst photographs were taken.

Re-joining the coast road, a short drive to Baile, the road end where we park on the clifftop machair looking across to Harris and Lewis. 

Taken from the car

We watched Little Terns fishing far below. The tide was out and they are tiny birds. I have a photo for my year folder but not one suitable for this !!

Gannets passed by, the ubiquitous Whimbrel made their presence known with their whinnying call. All very pleasant and relaxing.  

Having stocked up at Sollas Co-op, we decided to return via Balranald and the coast road. We'd used Committee Road this morning. Seeing two cars parked at the second road junction and hearing three Corncrakes calling, we joined them. Not the best of positions to see well. Very quickly after stopping, Pam located a distant bird. Here come the excuses for poor photography. The engine was still running, the bird was skulking behind a sturdy post which kept messing the focus and.... I was in the passenger seat trying to see past Pam. This is the least poor shot I managed. 

Despite waiting for about forty minutes, I never got a better view and the birds kept calling. Frustrating species.

A last call at Ard an Runair before home. Not much on the machair apart from the sight of even more flowers appearing. The newest ones are tiny yellow pansies. I must correct the incorrect identifying of Cranesbill a couple of days ago in South Uist. It should have been Storksbill. We did some more book searching this afternoon.

The Rock Doves here are the real thing, not the scrap seeking mongrels we get in Norfolk.

The Balranald beach is one of the loveliest, not possible to include the whole bay in one camera shot.

As we got out of the car at home, a Corncrake called from the adjoining meadow. We'd only heard it twice before. 

WAW
 The cetacean disturbance I scoped yesterday at Ardvule was three Basking Sharks, as read on the Hebridean Wildlife web page. An ambition fulfilled at last. A real bogey animal.